Modern hand saw (wood hacksaw): what is it and how to choose it? Characteristics and types of hand hacksaws for wood. What types of hacksaws are there for wood?
Wood has been used as a building material since time immemorial. And now it has not lost its popularity. It is loved for its environmental friendliness and ease of processing, which is best done using wood hacksaws. These tools are available with different parameters, which are selected depending on the specific purpose.
Specifications
Saw - one of the first hand tools invented by man. Since the appearance of the first rough version Centuries have passed, and many varieties have appeared for work different types.
As for hand saws for wood, they differ from each other in many parameters, including the following:
Let's look at each in detail.
Hacksaw blade
In principle, this is the instrument itself. The most important parameter of the canvas is its length. It is this that determines the range of application possibilities. However, the longer the blade, the stronger the spring, which makes working with hard wood such as oak, ash or maple especially difficult. For sawing small objects such as plinths, bars or narrow slats, a hand-held wood hacksaw with a blade length will suffice 25−30 cm. For more serious work, you need a tool with a blade length 45−50 cm.
A simple rule for determining the length: the blade should be twice the diameter of the logs that will be sawed with it. The teeth of a short hacksaw will jam in the wood, requiring much more effort to work, which will quickly cause fatigue. The width of the blade usually varies in the range of 10−20 cm. A narrower blade is not allowed, as it breaks at the slightest bend, but an overly wide blade is inconvenient to work with your hands.
Material of manufacture
Blades for hacksaws are made of tool alloy steel with a high content of carbon and silicon, grades:
- 8 HF, 9 HF, 9 HS;
- 65 G, 60 C2A;
- U7, U7A, U 8, U8A, U8G, U8GA, U9A, U 10.
The metal is hardened by exposing it to an alternating magnetic field when a high-frequency electric current appears. As it spreads over the surface, it heats the metal layer, which hardens after cooling. A hardness of 45 HR C is considered standard, although it is recommended to take products with a hardness of 55-60 HR C, when the flexibility is sufficient and the teeth have high stability. Upon external inspection of such a tool, you can see the darkish tint of the sharpened teeth.
Teeth parameters
Precision and performance mainly depends on tooth size.
The defining indicator is “TPI” - the number of teeth per inch.
Between data technical parameters there is an inverse relationship:
- Blades with large teeth allow you to work at high speed, but the cut is sloppy and rough.
- With the help of a blade with fine teeth, it is possible to guarantee a clean and precise cut, but the speed of work is relatively low.
When determining the size of the teeth, focus on the material being processed. To work with chipboard, for example, greater cutting accuracy is required, so a tool with a high TPI of 7−9 is selected. For cutting logs and gardening work where cut cleanliness is not so important, TPI 3−6 is sufficient.
The difference between a hardened tooth and an ordinary tooth is that the first one does not become dull for a long time in everyday use. But a saw with hardened teeth cannot be sharpened again; it can only be thrown away after use. Ordinary teeth can be sharpened, which is done with a special file marked with an accident (for sharpening saws). It is enough to pass over each tooth several times.
Depending on the type of teeth, there are three types of hacksaws for different types of sawing:
Some modern tools have teeth trapezoidal. This increases strength and wear resistance, but sharpening such a blade is not easy, since the trapezoidal teeth are difficult to shape. Because of this, the service life is greatly reduced, and after it has expired the blade has to be replaced.
The market also offers modernized hacksaws. They are effective for cutting raw wood. During operation, wet chips easily come out through the gaps between the teeth, and the movement of the tool is not hampered.
Types of hand saws for wood
It is impossible to say for sure which hacksaw is better for wood. Eat different options, for different types of work. Let's describe them.
Depending on the design and purpose of the saw, there are:
- Swing - for longitudinal cutting.
- Transverse - for sawing across the fiber.
- Circular - for making holes, figure sawing, making roundings.
- Tenoning - for cutting connecting tenons and cutting out simple geometric shapes.
You can cut the material lengthwise and crosswise only with a bow saw, cutting blanks with complex lines. The work can be done without an assistant.
Handle type
In many ways, the ease of use of a tool is determined by the shape and material of its handle. Handles can be wooden or plastic. The surface at the grip site should not allow the hand to slip. This effect is eliminated by making scars on the handle, or covering it with a rubber layer. The saw can be cast or with a reversible blade. In the latter case, it is easy to replace the canvas.
Conventional handles are made of plastic. Prefabricated plastic handles made of two halves do not have sufficient rigidity; it is much more convenient to handle a tool with a one-piece handle with a rubberized backing for the fingers. The rubber insert allows for a tighter grip, which prevents the formation of calluses.
To choose the right hand saw for wood, you need to follow a number of recommendations. You need to pay attention to the following:
- Target. For carpentry work, you need a saw with fine teeth, which will ensure high cutting accuracy. Carpenters need a blade with large teeth.
- Fabric uniformity. Gently bend the fabric at an angle of 30-45° and release it. The slightest deviations on the fold line (even within 2 mm) indicate low quality of the metal.
- Frequency of use. If you need a saw for one-time work, it is better to take a tool with hardened teeth. The service life is quite long, and you don’t have to worry about sharpening and setting.
- Price. High-quality models from leading manufacturers are an order of magnitude more expensive than consumer goods. But the high price is a kind of guarantee of wear resistance and durability. However, for one-time work it is not advisable to buy an expensive tool.
Decide on the purpose of the tool, see how it fits in your hand. Please read the included instructions, if available. These minimal “wisdoms” are repeatedly will reduce the risk of choosing a bad tool.
In addition to power tools, in the arsenal good master Must have hand tools. And this is not only a hammer and sets of keys, but hand tools also include a hacksaw, the selection of which requires an appropriate approach. It is used exclusively for wood processing - pruning trees, preparing rafters, beams and boards during construction, as well as manufacturing various structures from woodworking materials. Wood saws are the second most important tool after a hammer, and their selection requires an appropriate approach.
How to choose a wood hacksaw for your home
The choice of any tool requires a competent approach. A hacksaw, although it is considered the simplest hand tool, which consists of a cutting part and a handle, however, a lot depends on it. This includes the speed of achieving the result, the quality of the cut, as well as the amount of physical effort put in by a person when pruning trees.
Many home craftsmen still have old hacksaws from the USSR era, which have one important quality - reliability. Modern hacksaws less reliable, but more practical and easy to use. That is why, if you have an old one lying around in your garage hand saw on wood, then do not rush to throw it away. To restore the functionality of the tool you need. However, it is important to take into account that the tool must have all the teeth, otherwise it is not suitable for further use.
This is interesting! The absence of one or more teeth on a wood hacksaw not only reduces the productivity of the tool, but also makes its operation unsafe. After all, where there are no teeth on the blade, the load increases, so it is possible that the material may break, thereby injuring the craftsman working with the tool.
If you have an old wood hacksaw in your arsenal, then you can restore its functionality, and if you decide to purchase a new one, then you will need an appropriate approach to the choice. Before choosing, let’s look at the types of wood hacksaws, what they are like and how they differ.
Types of hacksaws for wood - the main criterion when choosing
A good craftsman should have at least two wood hacksaws in his arsenal. One saw is used for cutting dry boards, and the second tool is used for wet ones (when pruning an orchard). They differ in the setting and shape of the teeth. Depending on the type of work planned, it is necessary to purchase the appropriate type of cutting hand tool. To do this, let’s find out what types of wood saws are produced by manufacturers in different countries.
- The classic version is an ordinary file, which consists of closed type handles and blades of different lengths. This type of hacksaw is also called universal, as they are suitable for performing various works related to wood processing
- Rounding is a highly specialized version of a cutting device, which is designed for cutting out different shapes and patterns in sheet woodworking materials, for example, when you need to cut out round hole. Circular files are also called narrow files, as they have a narrowed blade design and a sharp nose.
- A backed saw, a tenon saw, or a tenon saw is another type of classic cutting tool, which also consists of a blade and a handle. The difference from the classics is that the blade has the same size (without tapering), as well as a fine tooth. This type of tool is intended exclusively for working with a miter box, when you need to obtain the appropriate cutting angle on woodworking material. Suitable for working with laminate flooring and skirting boards
- Luchkovaya - it is more like a hacksaw for metal, only it has larger size frame part, as well as a blade with large teeth. It is used in locksmith workshops, as well as for sawing branches and twigs from trees. The instrument received this name for the reason that there is a similarity with an ancient weapon instrument - a bow that shoots arrows
- Award - a highly specialized variety hand saws, used in carpentry and metalworking workshops. This type of tool resembles a plane, as there are two handles. At the bottom, a cutting blade with fine teeth is attached to the base, which allows you to obtain precise cuts on boards, beams and other similar materials
- Folding is a modernized version of the hacksaw, which is great solution for hiking trips. It folds up, which is its main advantage
Knowing what types of wood hacksaws there are and how they differ, you can decide for yourself which type of tool is suitable for performing certain planned actions. Considering the wide variety of tools under consideration, one of the most important wood saws in the household is the classic one.
This is interesting! Unlike working with a hacksaw for metal, where sawing is performed by applying force from oneself, the situation with a wood saw is different. Woodworking is carried out in two directions, that is, sawing is performed in the direction away from you and towards you.
To choose the right hacksaw for wood, you need to consider the following main indicators:
- The size of the canvas, or rather its length. Not only the ability to saw workpieces depends on the length large diameter, but also the speed of achieving results, as well as the ease of performing work
- The material of steel from which the blade is made. The efficiency and service life of the tool depend on this parameter.
- Teeth and their size - larger teeth do not mean a better tool. The larger the tooth, the easier it is to saw raw workpieces, but the lower the quality of the cut.
- Holder or handle - the ease of use of the tool depends on it. The more comfortable the handle, the easier it is to control the tool.
So, knowing the basic parameters for choosing, buy the best wood hacksaws for home handyman won't be a big deal. Among the many varieties of cutting tools, it will be difficult to choose suitable option without appropriate help. You can contact your tool dealer for help. hardware store, but only in the end you will buy such a hacksaw, for which the seller will receive a percentage of its sale. If you need to buy a good hacksaw for wood, then tips and recommendations from the material will help you make the right decision.
What parameters are used to select wood hacksaws for the home - basic requirements
Buying the most expensive hacksaw does not mean getting the highest quality and most reliable cutting tool. The result of such a thoughtless purchase is the same - the tool will lie on a shelf in the garage and become covered with dust. The reasons for this may be a variety of factors - from the inconvenience of using a saw to low efficiency when sawing woodworking materials. Therefore, you should not rely on the cost of hacksaws, since the price, although it affects the quality, is not always able to satisfy the needs. That is why you will need an appropriate approach to choosing a wood saw for your home, which we will discuss in detail below.
Blade material or type of steel used
Blades for wood hacksaws are made from different types of steel, which must have a hardness of at least 45 HRC. The main material is alloy or tool steel. To increase the service life of the tool in question, it is necessary to give preference to materials such as stainless steel. To increase the service life of the tool, the cutting part of the blade is made of steel with a hardness of at least 55-60 HRC.
When purchasing, you need to pay attention to the color of the teeth. If the teeth are black, this means that after manufacturing the material was subjected to additional heat treatment- hardening. Usually, the teeth on hacksaws are hardened, in which the blade is made of steel with a hardness of 45 HRC, but no more. Most manufacturers indicate the steel material and its hardness on the blades of the tools they produce.
- Wood saw blades with hardened teeth have a long service life, however, if they become dull, they cannot be sharpened. The teeth on the blades can be hardened or not. If hardened ones cannot be sharpened after dulling, then non-hardened ones, on the contrary, can be sharpened required quantity times until the teeth are completely worn out.
- Non-hardened teeth are not subject to additional heat treatment, however, due to the fact that they are made from harder types of steel, they are more expensive than similar wood saws with a hardened tooth.
Length of blades on hacksaws
You've probably had to deal with hacksaws different sizes. Some are very compact and have a short length of canvas, while others, on the contrary, are very long and awkward. Having decided on the material of the canvas, you need to understand their dimensions. Everything is simple here, since modern manufacturers produce classic hacksaws with blades of 28 cm or more. The longest files are those with blades of 60 cm or more. When to use long and short blades on wood hacksaws:
- Short blades - such saws are used for sawing off boards, beams and other workpieces small size. If you take a large saw to cut small workpieces, it will be inconvenient to work
- Long blades from 50 cm or more are used for sawing workpieces of large diameter from 30 cm. The use of such tools allows you to remove a large amount of woodworking material from the cutting line in one pass of the hacksaw
As you understand, the farm must have at least two tools with a long and a short blade, which will allow them to be used when performing the relevant work.
This is interesting! In order not to make a mistake with the choice of length hacksaw blade, you need to multiply the diameter of the workpiece by two, and select a saw based on the obtained value. For example, if the diameter of the workpiece is 20 cm, then to effectively saw it, it is recommended to use a hacksaw with a blade 40-45 cm long.
Once the length of the blade has been selected, you should move on to another important indicator - the type of handle.
What kind of handle should be on a hacksaw?
Old hacksaws for wood from the USSR era had handles made of durable plastic, wood or metal. Their main drawback is the inconvenience during work. With frequent use of the tool, calluses formed on the master’s fingers, so the work had to be performed exclusively in protective gloves.
Modern hacksaws are equipped with handles made of plastic or metal, which are additionally coated with rubber or silicone materials. This increases the comfort of working with the tool, so you can forget about the appearance of calluses, provided that the hacksaw fits well in your hand and does not cause discomfort.
Not only the ease of use of the tool, but also its performance depends on the shape of the handle. Plastic handles without additional rubber and silicone coating have a positive effect on the cost of the cutting tool, only when constant operation tool, this option is far from the best. Handles can be removable or non-removable. Removable models allow you to change blades on a wood saw.
All about teeth on hacksaws for wood
What a hacksaw is and what types of tools there are is known, so now it won’t be difficult to choose the most suitable option. But there is no need to rush, since in addition to the main criteria for choosing hacksaws, you also need to take into account auxiliary factors, which will allow you to even more accurately select a tool for the appropriate task.
Such auxiliary factors for selection include sizes, types and number of teeth. It is these parameters that have a direct impact on the quality of the cut, the speed of work, as well as worker fatigue. Let's look at each parameter and find out what type of teeth should be on the wood hacksaw you choose for your home.
Types of teeth: small and large
Hand hacksaws for wood have blades on which the teeth can be large or small. For what purposes blades with large and small teeth are used, we will find out further.
- With large teeth - used for cutting raw trees, as well as other workpieces where the quality of the cut does not matter. Large teeth are needed in order to get the result as quickly as possible, however, the cutting accuracy and quality of the cut suffer. When collecting firewood or pruning trees, this does not play a big role
- With fine teeth - designed for sawing laminate, fiberboard, chipboard, plywood and other workpieces. Their main advantage is that they provide a high-quality cutting line without scoring, chipping or other deformations. Fine-toothed wood hacksaws are used to work with a miter box, where laminate flooring, trim on doors and windows, as well as baseboards can be cut at appropriate angles. Sawing with a hacksaw with a small tooth takes 2 times longer than with a large one.
To achieve quick results, you need to choose files with large teeth, and when accuracy is needed, then blades with fine teeth are used.
Tooth pitch and what it is
Let's consider such an important parameter as the tooth pitch, which many craftsmen are not even aware of. The pitch of a hacksaw's teeth on wood is designated by the abbreviation TPI. This indicator characterizes the number of teeth per inch of blade length. There is no need to calculate this value, since most manufacturers indicate the pitch on the surface of the canvas. This parameter is interconnected with the size of the teeth, since the larger they are, the higher the pitch. What does tooth pitch affect?
First of all, the accuracy of the cut. If you need to get a neat cut, then you should give preference to tools with TPI parameters from 7 to 11. If speed of work is important, then you need to choose tool models with a larger tooth pitch, and the TPI value is smaller and ranges from 1 to 7. Below is a table of tooth pitches, on the basis of which you can determine the optimal parameters for this indicator.
For the home, the optimal tooth pitch on a hacksaw for wood is 4-5 mm or 5-6 TPI.
Tooth shape and how it affects performance
Available different types woodworking materials, therefore it is absolutely appropriate to produce blades with different tooth shapes. Let us find out in detail what types of teeth these are.
The higher the efficiency of the tool, the correspondingly more expensive it is. The most expensive are hacksaws with wolf teeth and Japanese teeth. For the home, a tool with a classic shape of cutting links is quite enough.
How does blade thickness affect performance?
Another important parameter is the thickness of the canvas. The difference in thickness is almost impossible to detect by eye, so many manufacturers indicate its values on the surface of the device. Thickness affects the following parameters:
- Device Durability
- Kerf thickness
- Scope of application
The thicker the canvas, the more reliable it is. Hacksaws with thick blades do not “play” when working, so it is recommended to use these types of blades for sawing thick wood. Thin sheets are fragile, and when bent at an angle of 90 degrees, they may break. They are suitable for sawing thin beams, boards, branches and other materials. They also allow you to obtain high-quality and thin cuts in materials.
Checking steel and quality of teeth sharpening
When purchasing, you need to take into account not only the parameters by which the tool is made, but also the quality of sharpening of the teeth and straightness of the blade. We'll find out how to check it yourself later.
- To check the quality of steel you need to look at the design of the blade. It should be perfectly straight. Now, to make sure that the tool is made of high-quality steel, you should hold the hacksaw with one hand by the handle, and with the other by the tip of the blade, bend it to 70-80 degrees, but do not overdo it, as it may burst. After this, release the canvas and look again at its straight shape. If it remains the same as before, it means it was made using high-quality tool steel. If a bending angle has formed, then such a tool is made of low quality steel, and it will not last long
- You can determine the quality of sharpening visually by looking at the links. If their edges sparkle, then they are sharpened, and if they merge with the blade, then the sharpening is not done well enough
Choosing a tool requires an appropriate approach, and sometimes it is better to overpay than to buy a hacksaw for the home of insufficient quality. Even if such a tool will serve for a long time, you will suffer with it not only when working, but also sharpening the teeth.
Which is better, a Chinese or domestic hacksaw?
Many people are accustomed to dividing instruments into “their own”, German and Chinese. As you know, Chinese products are not famous high quality, but at the same time they are considered accessible, like domestic ones. German instruments are expensive and of high quality, so their prices are correspondingly high. If you need a good cutting tool, then it is not necessary to choose models of German origin, since there are many Russian manufacturers that produce high-quality products, for example, Zubr.
| Name | Description | Conclusion |
| View | Classic, round, heel, bow, etc. | Depending on the work being done, but for a home you will definitely need a classic look |
| Canvas material | Alloy or tool steel with a hardness of over 45 HRC | The degree of hardness on the canvas is indicated. It is not recommended to buy with a lower indicator. Before purchasing, check the canvas for bending |
| Teeth type | Hardened or not hardened | If you plan to sharpen yourself, then non-hardened ones will do, and hardened ones cannot be sharpened, but at the same time they have long term services |
| Blade length | Starts from 25 cm and above | 30-40 cm is enough for home |
| Handle type | Plastic or wood | High quality rubberized plastic is recommended |
| Type of teeth | Big and small | For a high-quality cut, a small tooth, and for a quick cut, a large one |
| Tooth pitch | From 1 to 25 TPI | Saws are selected for the home in increments of 4 to 7 TPI |
| Tooth shape | Universal, chisel, dagger, wolf tooth, Japanese tooth | Depending on the tasks, but for the home, universal or Japanese types of teeth on the blades are chosen |
| Blade thickness | From 0.8 mm and above | The best option is 0.9-1 mm |
| Manufacturer | Europe, China, Russia | You need to choose depending on the specified requirements, as well as cost. Chinese hacksaws “Mother-in-law” showed their worthy quality |
Chinese models of hacksaws can be divided into cheap and high-quality, so if domestic products are not suitable, then you can choose a wood hacksaw for your home made in China, represented by brands such as Bahco, Stanley and others. Price cutting tools depends not only on the manufacturer, but also on the length of the canvas.
Wood has many advantages as a building material. Ease and speed of processing are considered one of the most important. There are many tools for this, but the most popular and simple device there is still an ordinary hacksaw left. However, you still need to choose the right hand saw, otherwise working with it will be inconvenient or ineffective.
Selection criteria
To truly buy good tool, you need to know about its characteristics. When choosing, you need to consider the following points:
- the material from which the canvas is made;
- cutting tool length;
- convenience and reliability of the handle;
- size, pitch and shape of the teeth.
Even if at least one of the characteristics under consideration is changed, the properties of the hand saw immediately change.
The ease of use of the tool depends on the shape of the handle. Therefore, if the device will be used by one person, then its handle must be selected so that it is as close as possible to the shape of his palm.
If the tool will not be used very often, then holding comfort automatically becomes not the most important criterion.
The length of the hacksaw blade varies between 350-600 mm. This parameter is selected depending on the thickness of the workpieces that will be processed.
In this case, you should not resort to extremes, because you will have to work much longer with a very short sawing blade, and a long sawing blade can spring strongly, creating additional inconvenience.
Teeth and blade
Basically, hacksaws are made from alloy or tool steel alloys. In order for the device to serve as long as possible, its blade must be made of high grade steel. The best option is stainless steel. Of course, such a tool is more expensive, but it will fully pay for itself. In addition, the teeth of a hand saw may or may not be hardened. These options have their advantages.
Teeth that have not been hardened can be sharpened at any time. Hardened elements are more durable and reliable. They last much longer, but are almost impossible to sharpen.
When thinking about which hacksaw is best for wood, you need to pay attention to the pitch, configuration and dimensions of its teeth. High-quality cutting depends on the accuracy and speed of the cut. These characteristics are directly related - small teeth allow good cutting accuracy.
Wood saws with large teeth significantly speed up the work, but the accuracy and quality of the cut surface noticeably suffer.
For this there is special characteristic- TPI. It shows the number of teeth per inch of cutting blade. To achieve accurate processing, where quality and accuracy are important, you should take hacksaws with TPI from 7 to 11. If necessary maximum speed, then preference should be given to devices with a tooth configuration of 3 to 5.
Based on the configuration of the teeth, there are several types of wood saws:
In addition to the configuration of the teeth, hacksaws can have different lengths and shapes of the working blade. On sale you can find folding types of hand saws or in the form of comfortable handles. Cost often determines the quality and durability of a product. That is, a good handsaw in rare cases is very cheap.
Most popular models
To understand the variety of hacksaws, you can pay attention to the most popular products. The most popular products include the following:
There are other models that also deserve attention. One way or another, it is recommended to purchase such products from trusted suppliers.
After buying a summer house, I needed a good saw. At first I thought of choosing a Japanese model, because such products pass various tests and are considered to be of very high quality. However, my budget was very limited, so I chose the Bison saw. I don’t regret my decision at all, because the device is of very high quality and reliable.
Semyon Grishin
On the eve of my husband's birthday, I started shopping and looking for something for him. good gift. I accidentally walked into the store various instruments and decided to give him a good hacksaw, since the old one was already completely rusty and had been collecting dust on the balcony for several years. The husband was very happy with the gift, because he just wanted to make an extension from timber.
Galina Petrova
I used to have a hacksaw made in the USSR. Of course, it was a good thing, but it was outdated, and the canvas was already rusty. I went to the store and bought a Stanley Grand. A wonderful thing. Very convenient and, most importantly, inexpensive.
A home craftsman will always have a functional and easy-to-use circular saw in his arsenal. But there are situations when you need to saw off a part and perform a small amount of woodwork, but there is no time or desire to deploy and connect the unit. In these cases, a hand saw is a great help. But let’s take a closer look at how to choose a hand hacksaw for wood so that it is easy to use and can easily “gnaw” through any type of wood.
- Parameters of teeth on the blade
- Types of hand saws for wood
- Option #1 - narrow
- Option #2 - regular
- Option #3 - with a butt
- Option #4 - archery
- Recommendations for choosing a tool
Tool Specifications
The saw is rightfully considered the ancestor of a large family of hand tools. Since the creation of the first type of tool from iron, the saw has undergone many changes, having acquired numerous “sisters” capable of performing dozens of jobs.
IN household It’s impossible to do without “toothed helpers”: they are indispensable for garden pruning, small carpentry and joinery work
Hand saws for wood differ in many ways: blade size, steel grade, tooth shape, handle design. Let's look at each parameter in more detail.
How should a hacksaw blade be?
The main part of the tool is the hacksaw blade. The first thing you should pay attention to when choosing a product is the length of the canvas. The possibilities of its application largely depend on this parameter. At the same time, the longer the blade, the more springy it is, which also complicates the process, especially when working with hard wood such as ash, maple or oak.
The long stroke makes it possible to apply less effort when sawing, since the cut is completed in one stroke a large number teeth
To cut small elements such as plinths, bars or narrow slats, you can get by with a hacksaw with a blade length of 25-30 cm. Planning to use the tool when performing more serious construction work, choose a product with a canvas of 45-50 cm.
When determining the length of the hacksaw blade, follow the rule that the length of the saw exceeds the diameter of the elements being processed by 2 times. Failure to follow this recommendation will only make your job more difficult. The teeth of a short hacksaw will jam inside the wood, and everyone will have to make a lot of effort to move the tool to free it from sawdust. Uncomfortable work will cause premature fatigue.
Traditionally, the width of the product blade varies in the range of 10-20 cm. Models with a narrower blade are not allowed for technical reasons, since they fail at the slightest bend. But it is worth considering that too wide canvases are inconvenient for manual work.
The material used to make the blade, which is most often alloy steel, as well as its degree of hardening also play an important role.
For hacksaws, tool alloy steel with a high content of silicon and carbon grades is used:
- 65G, 60 C2A;
- 8 HF, 9 HF, 9 HS;
- U7, U7A, U8, U8A, U8G, U8GA, U9A, U10
Hardening of the metal is carried out due to the influence of an alternating magnetic field on it, in which it appears electric current high frequency. Spreading over the surface, it heats surface layer metal that hardens after cooling.
The standard parameter is considered to be a metal hardness of 45 HRC, but it is still preferable to choose products whose blade hardness is 55-60 HRC. A hacksaw with a blade of high hardness will have sufficient flexibility, but at the same time high stability of the teeth. Upon external inspection, such a tool can be identified by the darkish tint of the sharpened teeth.
Parameters of teeth on the blade
The determining indicator of the tool’s performance and the accuracy of cutting wood is the size of the teeth.
The teeth of a hacksaw for woodworking perform a dual function: they cut the wood and, at the same time, remove sawdust
Sawing accuracy is determined by the “TPI” indicator - the number of teeth per inch.
There is an inverse relationship between these technical parameters:
- blades with large teeth set a high speed of work, but the cut is rough and sloppy;
- hacksaws with fine teeth guarantee a clean and precise cut, but at a relatively low speed.
When determining required size teeth should be guided by the type of material being processed. For example, to work with chipboard, where high cutting accuracy is required, choose a tool with high rate“TPI” 7-9, and for sawing logs and working in the garden, where cleanliness of the cut is not so important – “TPI” 3-6.
When choosing optimal option hacksaws, follow the rule that minimum thickness the log should in any case be larger than a pitch of three teeth
If we compare a hardened and a regular tooth, the difference is that in the first option, provided that it is used in everyday life, the product does not become dull for a long time. But a hacksaw with a hardened tooth cannot be sharpened again. When it starts to cut poorly, you just have to throw it away.
An ordinary tooth can be sharpened. This can be done periodically using a special file marked with an accident (for sharpening saws). To sharpen the blade, it is enough to perform several movements on each tooth.
Depending on the type of teeth used, there are three types of hand saws:
Some types modern instruments equipped with teeth that are made in the shape of a trapezoid. This solution makes the fabric more durable and wear-resistant.
But it is worth considering that sharpening such a blade is very problematic, since it is difficult to give the trapezoidal teeth the desired shape. This significantly reduces the service life of the product, after which it is necessary to change the blade or purchase a new tool.
For sawing fresh branches, it is more convenient to use blades equipped with triangular teeth processed by parallel sharpening, in which each element is sharpened only on one side and in a checkerboard pattern.
You can often find a modernized type of hacksaw on the market.
Modernized hacksaws can be easily distinguished by the teeth located on the blade in groups, between which the spaces are clearly visible
Retrofitted hand saws are effective for cutting raw wood. Wet chips easily come out of the cut through the spaces between the teeth during the cutting process, without impeding the movement of the tool.
Types of hand saws for wood
Option #1 - narrow
A small narrow saw is a structure that consists of a straight flat blade and a handle. It is used to perform delicate work: through cuts, sawing out curved parts.
This type of tool is designed for cutting wooden blanks, the thickness of which does not exceed 8-10 cm, cutting small branches and minor works in the garden
When making narrow models, manufacturers install blades with triangular double-sided teeth, or with parallel sharpening. The disadvantage of the tool is that when pressed during operation, the blade can deviate from the given direction.
Option #2 - regular
A standard hand saw can be equipped with any type of teeth and is often equipped with interchangeable blades of various types and designs.
To be able to cut workpieces at a certain angle using a standard hand saw, you have to purchase special miter boxes
But despite the stated versatility of their use, it is not advisable to use saws of this type in the manufacture of furniture.
Option #3 - with a butt
Both narrow and regular saws tend to bend as the hardness of the material being processed increases. In these cases, it is effective to use canvases equipped with a backing, which acts as a kind of stiffening rib.
Hand hacksaws equipped with a backing are designed to create shallow cuts in wooden surface any thickness
The presence of a backing prevents the saw from making a cut deeper than the width of the blade, since it prevents the cutting blade from passing further into the tree.
Option #4 - archery
Bow-type saws are more bulky devices that act as an analogue of a jigsaw.
The main purpose of saws of this type is to create an accurate cut when working with surfaces located at any angle.
Thanks to the solidity of the design and threaded connections handles, bow-type saws are able to easily overcome knots, cutting along radii and curved patterns.
Depending on the purpose and constructive solution saws can be:
- sweeping – for longitudinal cutting;
- transverse – for sawing workpieces across the wood fiber;
- round - for cutting holes, making roundings and figure sawing;
- tenon - for cutting connecting tenons, as well as cutting out simple geometric shapes on the workpiece.
Only with a bow-type hacksaw can you cut the material lengthwise and crosswise, sawing workpieces with complex lines and doing the work alone without the involvement of an assistant.
The procedure for choosing a hand saw for wood is quite simple:
Conventional handles are made of plastic. Prefabricated plastic handles, made of two halves, do not have sufficient rigidity. It is much more convenient to work with a tool that has a one-piece handle, which is equipped with a rubberized backing for the fingers. The presence of a rubber insert allows for a tighter grip, preventing the formation of calluses on the palm.
Pay attention to the design of the tool handle: it is desirable that it has an ergonomic shape that allows you to correctly transfer force to the blade
There are products on sale with standard and reversible handles. The second option is convenient because it allows you, if necessary, to replace the worn blade with a new one.
Keep in mind that not all hand saws come on sale already sharpened. And this seemingly trifle largely determines how quickly you can get to work.
There are many companies producing hacksaws on the market. Judging by the reviews, they have proven themselves well: the domestically produced Zubr hacksaw, the Gross Piranha of joint German-Chinese cooperation, and the Irwin Xpert made in the USA. They are famous for their decent quality at a low price, which varies between 10-20 USD.
Finally, we invite you to watch a video with tips for choosing:
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